Interface air filter and assembly

ABSTRACT

An air filter retention interface for use with an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The interface is substantially secured in an opening of a wall and the interface attaches to an air filter at the front end of the interface and an air intake tube on the back end of the interface. The interface has a filter sleeve and a filter base. During operation of the engine the filter sleeve is disposed through the opening in the wall such that the wall is between beads disposed on the external surface of the filter sleeve and the filter base thereby substantially securing the interface in place and the front end of the filter base is attached to the filter and the back end of the filter base is attached to the air intake tube and air passes through the filter then through the filter base and filter sleeve and then into the air intake tube and toward the engine.

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/13/986,263, filed Apr. 16, 2013, the entire contents of which areherewith incorporated by reference. The present application claimspriority to and/or the benefit of the application identified above.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to air filters for use with internalcombustion engines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Air filters are critical components for internal combustion engines. Thefilter performs the function of removing debris from the air as the airis transferred into the engine. This reduces contamination that wouldotherwise enter the engine. In turn, the cleaner air allows the engineto run more efficiently and reduces wear that can occur with theintroduction of particulate matter in the combustion process.

There are a variety of techniques used to secure the filter in proximityto the engine. However, the existing techniques tend to be difficult touse when installing or replacing the filter. What is needed is a moreefficient technique for installing or replacing the filter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present disclosure, an air filter retentioninterface for use with an internal combustion engine is provided. In oneembodiment, the interface is substantially secured in an opening of awall and the interface attaches to an air filter at the front end of theinterface and an air intake tube on the back end of the interface.

The interface has a filter sleeve having an internal surface, anexternal surface, an outer radius, and a front and back ends.

The external surface of the filter sleeve has beads extending above theexternal surface and disposed substantially along a circumferential lineextending around the external surface.

There is an filter base having an outer radius greater than the outerradius of the filter sleeve and the filter base having an opening andthe filter base is attached to the front end of the filter sleeve;

During operation of the engine the filter sleeve is disposed through theopening in the wall such that the wall is between the beads and thefilter base and the interface is substantially secured in place and thefilter base is attached to the filter and the back end of the filtersleeve is attached to the air intake tube and air passes through thefilter then through the filter sleeve and then into the air intake tubeand toward the engine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is generally shown by way of reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the elements of one embodiment of an air filterretention interface;

FIG. 2 is a side view of one embodiment of the air filter retentioninterface, filter, wall, and air inlet tube; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of one embodiment of the air filter retentioninterface, filter, wall, air inlet tube, and clamp.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the air filter retention interface 10.There is a filter sleeve 12 having an internal surface 14 and anexternal surface 16. The filter sleeve also has a back end 18 and afront end 20. The filter sleeve is basically a tube that can be fittedover another tube to some degree such as an engine air intake tube. Inone embodiment, the filter sleeve is somewhat flexible. Otherembodiments can include a more rigid structure. On the external surface16 there are beads 22 that roughly are along a line 24 and the beads arethus substantially along a circumferential line around the externalsurface of the filter sleeve. There is also a filter base 26. In thisembodiment, the filter base is not attached to the filter.

Turning to FIG. 2, the filter base 26 attaches to the front end of thesleeve. The base 26 also attaches to the filter 28. The filter base 26has a passage that allows air to flow between the filter 28 and thefilter sleeve 12. The filter 28 has input ports 30 where air enters andis filtered. There is also an output port 32 inside the filter where thefiltered air can be directed away from the filter 28.

In one embodiment, the beads 22 are made of a relatively flexiblematerial such as rubber. In use, the filter sleeve 12 is attached to thebase 26. The sleeve is placed through an opening 36 in the wall 34. Thewall 34 may be a part of a filter housing chamber or another structurepossibly within an engine compartment that can provide support for theinterface. The opening 36 is large enough to allow the filter sleeve 12to pass and would normally not allow the beads 22 to pass if the beads22 and base 26 were rigid. Since the beads 22 are somewhat flexible, thebeads 22 and filter sleeve 12 structure can pass through the opening 36.The wall then abuts the filter base 26 on one side and the beads 22 onthe other. This relatively secures the interface 10 in place. It shouldbe appreciated that the geometry and number of the beads 22 can bechosen to fit any particular application desired and is not limited tothose in the figures. In another embodiment, the filter sleeve 12 canalso be somewhat flexible. The number and geometry of the beads 22 canvary. The beads 22 have a surface that contact the wall of the filterhousing chamber. In other embodiments the beads 22 may not be arelatively flexible material and may be substantially rigid.

FIG. 2 also identifies an air inlet tube 38. The air inlet tube 38passes through the back end 18 of the filter sleeve 12. The tube 38 canextend through the sleeve 12 and filter base 26 into the filter 28.However, the depth of penetration of the tube 38 can be a function ofany particular application. Also, while it may appear that theattachment end of the filter may be generally circular in shape, filtersof other attachment end geometries and structural geometries are used inother embodiments.

Turning to FIG. 3, a clamp 40 as well known in the art is identified.The clamp 40 extends circumferentially around the filter sleeve 12. Theair intake tube 38 extends far enough into the sleeve 12 so that theclamp 40 can force the filter sleeve 12 against the tube 38 therebysubstantially securing the tube 38 in place. The clamp 40 forces theinternal surface 14 of the filter sleeve 12 against the tube 38.

As FIG. 3 also indicates, the filter sleeve 12, filter base 26 andfilter 28 can be combined to form a single structure. The sleeve 12 andbeads 22 can still be passed through the opening 36 in the wall 34. Inother embodiments, the filter base 26 could be detachably connected to afilter by a number of conventional methods including a threadingstructure. It should also be appreciated that the base 26 could be of anumber of geometries to fit the geometries of a desired filter or thatan interface could be used to couple a filter base 26 of one geometry toa filter 28 of another geometry.

While embodiments have been described in detail, it should beappreciated that various modifications and/or variations may be madewithout departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In thisregard it is important to note that practicing the invention is notlimited to the applications described herein. Many other applicationsand/or alterations may be utilized provided that such other applicationsand/or alterations do not depart from the intended purpose of theinvention. Also, features illustrated or described as part of oneembodiment may be used in another embodiment to provide yet anotherembodiment such that the features are not limited to the embodimentsdescribed herein. Thus, it is intended that the invention cover all suchembodiments and variations. Nothing in this disclosure is intended tolimit the scope of the invention in any way.

What is claimed is:
 1. An air filter retention interface for use with afilter housing chamber having a wall and opening in the wall forreceiving the air filter retention interface, the air filter retentioninterface comprising: a filter sleeve having an external surface, and afront and back ends; the external surface of the filter sleeve having aplurality of beads extending outwardly from the external surface anddisposed substantially along a circumferential line extending around theexternal surface and each bead having a surface to contact the wall; anda filter base adapted to abut the wall when the filter sleeve isdisposed through the opening in the wall such that the wall is betweenthe bead surface to contact the wall engaging members and the filterbase.